Daily in the Bible

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Tom Bolton

I started listening to the Daily Audio Bible in 2009, and Karen and I started listening together in 2010. I’ve found it to be a great way to stay in the Word on a regular basis. Brian Hardin started the podcast in 2006, and he does an exceptional job of reading each day.

I want to share this video that DAB put together this year. I think it captures the elements of the podcast very well.

Here is what I wrote about the Daily Audio Bible in a review a few years ago, and I still believe this:

Life Changing Bible Time
Listening on a daily basis is life-changing. It works especially well if you read along. Brian Hardin does an excellent job with this podcast.

Daily Audio Bible, downloaded over 55 million times, is wrapping up its seventh year as one of the most-listened-to podcasts in the world. With over 1.5 million monthly listens, DAB has become one of the world wide web’s biggest Bible connections.

In late 2005, GRAMMY® and Dove Award nominated Christian music producer Brian Hardin (Larry Norman, Manic Drive, Jill Parr) woke up from a dream where he felt he should “podcast the Bible.” The podcast has grown rapidly since then and Hardin has broadcast Bible readings over 2,550 days in a row now.

For me, it is a good start to each day.

You may want to read more about it at the DAB web page:

About Daily Audio Bible

January 1 is a good day to start this adventure.

Posted in About Tom, Recommendations | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Fear Not

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Tom Bolton

I am reprinting a poem from January 2011. See you next week!

No Worries Today

I am grown,
I have listened, I have faced terrors with calm
and boldness.

And yet I fear this day.
I fear that I may offend,
or make some see me as ‘Less Than,’
or worse, see them or others as
Less-Than.

When I speak on this, am
I partisan?
Or political, or selfish or
in community?

I remember words of Hubert at a
Dining table in Louisville.
He never ate,
But regaled us with stories
of compromise and movement
and progress.
Even in defeat, he seemed to love
both sides of the aisle.
He loved us that day.
His eyes shone–
No force, no retreat,
But looking to the future,
our future.
Progress would come in this
Civil discourse,
this post-schism place.
And I remember Timmy,
seeking the decisions for
the People–
Pumping the hands,
Hugging the shoulders,
Smiling the bright ruddy smiles,
Battling the cause by day,
and seeing the people as human–frail and good,
failing and succeeding–
on both sides of the chambers at night.

And as I seek what is right,
As I fear whom I might offend
or whom I might pierce and
push away,
I remember John speaking to God:
You are mine and I am
Yours.
So Be It!
Let me be employed for you
or
Laid aside for you.
And may we be together.
Set aside my fears this day!

I was uncomfortable as I copied this poem into the blog today, because I played around with Wesley’s Covenant Prayer–a prayer that has changed my life as I say it daily. Ultimately, I decided to keep this poem as I wrote it originally. Perhaps even Wesley altered his prayer sometimes.

Hubert is Hubert Humphrey, who I met at a convention in 1973. I was lucky to be seated randomly at the same luncheon table with him. But Hubert never ate anything that day. He talked about history non-stop. I was struck then by the fact that he loved politicians on both sides of the aisle, despite his marvelous passion. His love and tolerance still impress me–maybe more so today.

Humphrey

“Timmy” was my mentor in politics, and he too worked with both sides of the aisle. He respects people–as people–and that is important now, as it was then.

It is sometimes hard for me to set aside my passions to respect both sides of an issue. But I have found moments where that civility has helped to solve an issue, and to help people.

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Christmas Card

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Tom Bolton

I really enjoyed this Christmas card from United Methodist Communications.

I am woefully behind in sending out Christmas cards and letters this year, but I think I will finish Friday night–by Midnight.

Here is the text of the family letter from Karen and me this year:

Dear friends and family,

We are well, and mostly happy, and we have journeyed in familiar and new places with many of you this past year.  We pray that your life is filled with peace, and joy, and hope.  May God bless you this year.

We have traveled some this year, and seen a few new places, and a few new schedules.  We have mostly enjoyed 2012, but have lost a few old friends and also found some old and new friends throughout the year.

Tom was delighted to visit Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, to attend Leadership Institute this past October.  It was a pleasure to learn from Pastor Adam Hamilton again. It was especially fun to finally meet young Pastor Scott Chrostek (Here is Tom’s plug for Scott’s new book:  Pursuit.)  It was also grand to attend Tom’s 40th Parker High School class reunion in August (his first reunion so far!) and then the next day for Tom to present a poetry reading, Hopeful, at West Allis First United Methodist Church.

We grieve the passing of our old High School chum, John Dewey, in November.  But we are thankful that we connected with John earlier this year, and saw many old friends at the funeral.

Karen has had to work new schedules and new shifts at MSOE this year, but she has done well with it.  She has learned new things along the way.  Karen did much of the work to organize and prepare the move of Aunt Marie Hess to Harbour House in Greendale in August.  Some extra time off this summer was put to good use.

Tom has continued to lead a number of classes at our church, and has guided some Missions activities.  He was also selected to Chair the Supervisory Committee of Prime Financial Credit Union this year.  He continues to enjoy work at the City of Milwaukee.

As the New Year approaches, we are delighted to still be best friends.  Does it get any better than this?  How could it?  We wish similar blessings on our young friends.

John is taking some time off from school, and learning great new skills as a care-giver in an Assisted Living facility.  Oh, the things he can do!  He also was a staff member for Teen Serve this past summer.  He looks forward to returning to school.  We continue to be very proud and amazed by Nathan and Michelle.  Nate is a pillar at his company.  Michelle is now in school and working.  They are wonderful kids!

We wish you all many blessings in this Christmas celebration, and wish for you a joyous 2013.

Love,

Karen and Tom Bolton

Merry Christmas to my friends here too.  Joy to the World!

Posted in About Tom | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Wandering Into the Creche

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Tom Bolton

 

nativity3

Wandering Into the Creche

As the air chilled just a little,
But with no snow in Wisconsin,
Still I listened to Advent hymns, long loved,
and meditated on Luke’s story with eyes wide.
Each time Gabriel arrives,
he firmly says, “Don’t be afraid.”
Interesting how we start in fear!
Interesting that God’s word can scare us right off.
Young Mary, so young, so tiny,
hair matted, hands calloused, skin sore,
trembles at the message,
and then says, “Yes.” Right away, she hears
and she obeys.
Mary, you skip and dance some in my vision,
harsh life washed away for a minute.
And quickly, off to see Elizabeth,
on a long, hard walk!
I am reminded of messages, learned lessons,
But more real here:
It is good to have mentors.
We are validated and validate each other.
We are blessed in the Word!
Patient, quiet, strong Joseph,
You teach me to be quiet and listen, patient,
to simply seize faith, to quietly act.
In the glow of the image, the joy of the manger,
a flock of stinky shepherds arrive.
Coarse, and loud at first, they pause to look and listen.
They know joy like never before.
Faces glow and smiles swell, and eyes pierce brightly,
and the shepherds connect with their hearts,
personal in relationship,
aglow, loved.
Months later come these wise, wise men,
givers.
Thanksgiving joy,
these magi teach us to give of ourselves,
freely to choose, freely to serve, freely to glorify!

(c) Tom Bolton, Milwaukee, December 16, 2012

Nativity

Posted in Poetry, Reflecting on Scripture | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Lessons from the Nativity Set

Posted on December 20, 2012 by Tom Bolton

In the message at First United Methodist Church of West Allis this past Sunday, we contemplated a few of the lessons we learn by pondering the scripture associated with some of the main characters that we see as we look at our nativity sets in home or at church. The lectionary reading about John the Baptist set us to thinking about this good news. These were the 6 takeaway lessons for us after contemplating the angel, Mary, Joseph, Mary and Elizabeth, the shepherds, and the wise men:

Listen to angels and act with faith.
Accept your servant-hood: Here I am Lord!
Like Joseph, quietly listen and obey.
Find your mentor and be a mentor. Affirm God in someone’s life and be affirmed.
Let good news become great joy.
Make giving central to worship: Give your life in service to Jesus.

As I contemplated the lessons, I kept hearing the voice of Linus Van Pelt, encouraging Charlie Brown:

Posted in About Tom, Recommendations, Reflecting on Missions | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Tom Bolton

Re-posting a poem from March 2012.

Tom Bolton's avatarHopeful

Saturday morning, I had been reading Matthew and John 13, and then went to Isaiah.

We Care

I was startled today at the many voices in the text–
so many accents, so many tones under the words–and
Then there was one voice, a unity, one trinity.
We came back from the dessert, refreshed, and in the dim pre-dawn, 
A light has risen again!
I turn to God early this morning–once again! Thank you.
Near the kingdom, already past midnight, already past deep sleep,
the oil was gone, some lamps now dry.
Awake, what day is it? What hour?
We do not know, and we learn to lose caring.
We are here for the suffering, the lonely.
Barbara called me one day before and I forgot her.
We care for her now.
Maria-Anne heard my voice this week, and forgot me at once.
We find her and lift her up.
We…

View original post 101 more words

Posted in About Tom | Leave a comment

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Tom Bolton

Posted in About Tom | Leave a comment